Daily Archives: March 21, 2012

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Beauty comes at a price and I don’t mind looking ridiculous behind closed doors if it means I will look like a million bucks when I walk out of the house.

On Tuesdays, my schedule sucks. I have class until 10 p.m. so I don’t have a whole lot of time to do homework or relax. But because today is Tuesday, and I leave for Sicily on Thursday, I thought what better day then today to do my special beauty routine.

I came home and after eating dinner I got ready for my hot oil treatment. I cut out some holes in a plastic garbage bag so I could protect my clothes and I proceeded to cover my hair in Vatika oil. After it is completely covered I stood in front of a microwave for about 15 minutes, alternating hot towels. Everyone who saw me was like, “are you dying your hair again?”

Then, after I showered and removed the oil from my hair I did some facial hair removal with Sally Hansen’s facial hair removal cream. It smells disgusting, and I have to put it right under my nose so it is not a pleasant seven minutes. After I wipe the cream off with a damp paper towel and I am good to go. My roommates are pretty much accustomed to me waltzing in the room with a white cream mustache. While I wait, I pluck my eyebrows.

Afterwards, it is time for a face steam. This is my favorite part because I used to watch my mom do it all the time when I was a kid. With a pot of boiled steaming water, hover over the pot just far enough so your face doesn’t burn but the steam can still reach it. Drape a shower towel over your head and prepare for pure relaxation. Your pores will thank you too.

Finally, right after you move away from the steam pot, pat dry and smooth over a thick layer of your favorite facial mask. I use Mary Kay’s clay mask, because my mom always used it. When I have a daughter, you can bet I will pass down these beauty rituals to her too. Leave the mask on for 15 to 20 minutes and rinse off with warm water.

(Look at those gaping pores..)

Finish with a light night cream and get a good nights rest.

When people question my extensive and strange beauty routine, I always say “It’s an Asian remedy” if you are Asian you understand. If not then…well..it will always be strange to you.

Every morning I slide my closet doors open hoping that today’s outfit will float off of the hangers and onto my unenthused body. There is nothing like an I-have-nothing-to-wear kind of day to really ruin your entire schedule. You think it will be fine and you can just wear an old outfit you liked a lot at the time, but everyday is different and sometimes you won’t feel as pretty in that outfit as you did when you first wore it. After trying three or four outfits on, usually you hit the point of realization that you are on a schedule and need to leave or you will be late.

So how do you overcome this dilemma?

It will take some preparation, determination and a positive mindset.

What to wear when you have nothing to wear:

Recycle an old outfit; I see nothing wrong with wearing the same outfit twice. As long as it isn’t in the same week, let alone two weeks. Let’s be real, not everyone is rich and has hundreds of dollars to spend on new clothes every other week. Just reinvent what you know. If you wore that shirt with skinny jeans and a scarf one day, wear the shirt tucked into a skirt with a belt. Or just wear exactly what you have worn before, I doubt anyone would notice unless its your 108,900 time wearing it. In 7th grade I pretty much only wore two pairs of pants and two shirts for a whole school year… I apologize to my 7th grade class.

Look for inspiration; Or maybe Pinspiration. Polyvore, Lookbook and Pinterest are all great sites that can inspire future outfits that you can create from your own closet or inspiration items to look for when you are shopping.

Have your roommate/friend dress you; he or she probably has a different style and sees your wardrobe completely differently from you. I went shopping with my friend, who has a very casual yet revealing sense of style, she picked me out an outfit that I would have never picked up myself but I was surprised at how much I liked it.

Pick out your outfit the night before; saves time and effort in the morning. I did it in high school and it saved me mornings of hating my outfit when I tried it on and rummaging through my clothes to find something to wear. It also gives you time to contemplate better combinations and how to do your hair and makeup. Preparation is key to saving time.

Make a look book; If you are bored one day, go through your clothes and take pictures of all the cute combinations your clothes can make. This is something I have always wanted to do but have never had the time to do. When I went for my internship interview at Berkman I took pictures of possible interview looks and turned it into a post. You don’t know how many times I have looked back at those posts to figure out what I wanted to wear to the office that day.

Just remember that your outfit will depend on what you have available, the weather and how you feel that day. If you are feeling bloated, cramped, your pores are more visible then usual or your hair is greasier than you hoped, there is a good chance you will hate everything you put together that day.

What to wear when you have nothing to wear. I like to recycle my outfit of the day.